I am always excited to share about Withum’s rankings in the many prestigious lists where you will see our firm’s name. Today is no exception. The Vault Accounting 50 for 2017 was recently released. Vault is a highly respected “career intelligence” website which surveys employees to determine the results of the rankings. Scores are weighted in the areas of satisfaction, business outlook and firm culture. You will see that Withum is ‘trending up’ in the Accounting 50 list from 17 last year to 13 this year.

Notably, there were 6 categories in which our firm appeared in the top three spots:

Withum ranked #1 in “Philanthropy” – Wow! We are thrilled that initiatives such as Withum Week of Caring, $5 Jeans Days, and the Staff Hardship Relief Fund truly resonate with our staff.

For the first time in our history of being listed in Vault, Withum ranked in a Practice Area: #23 in Forensic Accounting! What a great testimony to our skillful Forensic and Valuation Services team!

The Withum Way spirit is alive and well. I cannot say ‘thank you’ enough for the continued support demonstrated by all of our staff who are truly the cornerstone of our firm’s success, dedicating themselves to our clients, to our communities and to each other.

Just one day of tax season left and after a hectic flurry over the weekend these last couple of days should be a lay- up.

As we think about shift gears after busy season, I’d like to continue expanding upon the ten traits described in the Withum Way, all of which define our culture and the behaviors which best exemplify our people. Today we will cover point nine:

9. GIVE BACK. You will never see a more caring, compassionate group of professionals than what you find here at WS+B. They are passionate about the missions of their charities of choice and encourage participation at every level.

For four decades, WS+B staff have volunteered their time and talents for the benefit of the greater good. Giving back is clearly an intrinsic part of our Firm’s culture. The founders of our Firm envisioned that each of our offices would be gateways to the community, placing considerable emphasis on supporting local charities and other entities whose mission is to serve those in need. And you all have embraced this philosophy fully. As individuals or in teams, you are out almost every weekend, walking, bicycling, running or parading with your pets, all for the sake of helping others who need so much but ask for so little. WS+B’s partner group alone provides representation on over 180 not-for-profit boards and committees, choosing to be involved with those organizations whose mission means something to them on a very personal level.

Here’s one recent example spearheaded by the Morristown office, where we received a warm and appreciative response:

“We are thrilled that WithumSmith+Brown has chosen to contribute over 25 laptops to the Volunteer Center of Bergen County,” said Janet Sharma, Executive Director of the Volunteer Center of Bergen County. “We are currently managing a large Hurricane Sandy Recovery Project involving 50+ nonprofit organizations that are providing services to residents impacted by the storm. While several of the laptops are being used at the Volunteer Center’s offices in Hackensack, eight are indispensable to the staff of our Recovery Information Center in Moonachie, and others are going directly to residents who lost their computers in the flood. The laptops will be used by students at all levels, from pre-K to college, by homeowners, and by small mom-and-pop businesses struggling to survive. Your donation of the laptops is having far-reaching impact, and we are very grateful!”

Thank you for being the caring people you are! It means so much too so many.

Behind the Monitor

Bill Hagaman is the managing partner and Chief Executive Officer of WithumSmith+Brown, and has been a member of the firm's management for over 25 years and has over 30 years of experience. He is a licensed certified public accountant in the states of New Jersey, New York and Florida, specializing in merger and acquisition services and international business. With over 25 years of professional experience, he serves local, national and global clients in a variety of industries.